I am hoping there will be a bar mitzvah episode too. I think Adam is supposed to be twelve on this birthday, and he is in his first year at middle school—6th grade. I may be wrong, but I really want to see Beverly Goldberg Bar Mitzvah Mom—hopefully next season.

I wish I could remember my first, CD, but I can't. Damn.

True, its about the Boomers/Hippies—-but Don in many ways fits the song, and he's smart enough to realize that its for a different generation and that it still fits him.

Loved this. I never bought in to the idea that Don Draper was an anti-hero. Flawed, desperate, cowardly, a bad father and husband-yes. However I never thought of him as evil or psychotic. I still have hope that Don can make himself a better person in this last season—or at least if he fails at it, make an honest…

That was awful too, and if you believe in karma, he will be punished in some way—although you could say that Athelstan's murder is his punishment for that. Ragnar killed that man, and the same day, his best friend is murdered. Or do you mean a more "legal" punishment?

It would be rough to lose her too. Sorry to make you weepy with my comment. We'll just have to see what happens next.

Wonderful review Perkins of an episode that broke my heart. I loved Blagdens portrayal of Athelstan, and loved the scenes between him and Fimmel as Ragnar. I had always hoped to see Athelstan stand up to Floki just once, and hit him, knock him down a peg, something…to go out like this….it really was devastating to me.…

In regards to Vikings relations with Christians on this show, it could be argued that they have had the moral high ground this season. That was an internal matter—and they're sometimes even more ruthless with each other than outsiders.

Made sure to point them out for emphasis.

I would agree for the most part that the show showed Viking brutality and violence at the start of its run, and has had moments of it throughout. As I said, its their show, VIKINGS, and Ragnar is the hero. So it makes sense to show it from their perspective and from their point of view.

I never said the Vikings were religiously motivated. There have been moments, like Horik talking about how his gods are real and he and Floki and others shooting arrows into the head of the monastery in that one episode, but that's one of the only moments I remember.

No doubt that Charlemagne was a religious fanatic. But Viking raiders stormed lots of abbeys and convents and peaceful villages and killed thousands of innocent people too. I don't want this to dissolve into a "Who's the Worst" back and forth. The show is called VIKINGS and Ragnar is the hero of the show, as Perkins…

This episode was a showcase for me of what makes Fimmel one of the best at what he does on TV. I don't know if he's a great all-around actor because this character is the only one I've seen him play—-but he can do so much with it, a glance, a smirk, a jump, a flip (perfect tonight to Flokis fanatical ravings) a…

I think you're right that Ecbert didn't realize how seriously Lagertha and the Vikings take their faith. I believe I said something to that effect in one of my posts.

Another interesting RR. Thanks Will!

Oh Nick. That's awesome. Thanks!

I read more concern than the other two you mention, and more disgust and shock from it.
However, I do feel you're right about how he feels about the others reactions—they're already not happy about the situation, and they said so, and he smacked them down with that tongue-lashing at the top of the episode. Now that…

I remember that on Night Court now that you mention it. Yeah it was pretty shocking. He was the great dad, and now he was a sleazeball.

The performance as Steven was sometimes so subtle and natural, he made it look easy, and that often leads to being underrated. The way he could handle dramatic and emotional moments on the show, as well as deliver comic lines, i.e. "Hello Nick." every time. He was great. Steven Keaton doesn't come up enough when it…

If you didn't like it because you think it means trouble for the Viking settlement, that's different than not liking it simply because he's Christian. I worry about it too in that way. I agree with you that he probably didn't realize the depth of their religious beliefs until beholding that sacrifice. It was a…